BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the influence of laparoscopic procedures on perisinusoidal cell function. METHODOLOGY: In 31 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholelithiasis, the serum levels of beta-N-acetyl hexosaminidase (beta-NAH) and hyaluronic acid (HA) were measured. Six female patients, who underwent other laparoscopic procedures, not involving the hepatobiliary system, served as controls. RESULTS: HA serum levels increased significantly in both study and control groups, while beta-NAH serum levels remained within normal values. Post-operative AST and ALT serum levels increased significantly only in the study group. No elevation of serum ALP was noted in any of our patients, and post-operative bilirubin levels did not increase in patients with normal pre-operative levels. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic procedures caused detectable damage to Kupffer and endothelial cells as reflected by elevation of post-operative HA serum levels. The damage to the liver hepatocytes and perisinusoidal cells has no clinical significance and the laparoscopic procedure itself is the probable cause of the Kupffer and endothelial cells damage, while other mechanisms caused damage to the hepatocytes.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the influence of laparoscopic procedures on perisinusoidal cell function. METHODOLOGY: In 31 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholelithiasis, the serum levels of beta-N-acetyl hexosaminidase (beta-NAH) and hyaluronic acid (HA) were measured. Six female patients, who underwent other laparoscopic procedures, not involving the hepatobiliary system, served as controls. RESULTS: HA serum levels increased significantly in both study and control groups, while beta-NAH serum levels remained within normal values. Post-operative AST and ALT serum levels increased significantly only in the study group. No elevation of serum ALP was noted in any of our patients, and post-operative bilirubin levels did not increase in patients with normal pre-operative levels. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic procedures caused detectable damage to Kupffer and endothelial cells as reflected by elevation of post-operative HA serum levels. The damage to the liver hepatocytes and perisinusoidal cells has no clinical significance and the laparoscopic procedure itself is the probable cause of the Kupffer and endothelial cells damage, while other mechanisms caused damage to the hepatocytes.